About me
Director and Council Member of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) 2011-17. See: www.asa.org.uk
Strategic Advisor to integrated creative agency 23red 2011-16. See: www.23red.com
Independent panel member for Cabinet Office review of Royal Navy communications May 2014.
Following a 26-year career in UK advertising agencies, in 2001 I was appointed Director General of the IPA. In this capacity I sat on a number of industry bodies including the Council and Executive Committee of the Advertising Association (AA), and the Advertising Standards Boards of Finance (ASBOF & BASBOF), BARB (Broadcasters' Audience Research Board). I was also a Board member of the European Association of Communication Agencies (EACA) and a past Chairman of its National Associations Council. See: www.ipa.co.uk
Amongst many IPA projects, I was especially closely involved with the validation and development of my ‘Diagonal Thinking’ concept (www.diagonalthinking.co.uk ).
Specialties: I co-authored 'Brand Spirit' with Marjorie Thompson, Brand Manners' with William Gordon, ‘Brand Immortality' with Peter Field, 'Spending Advertising Money in the Digital Age', with Jim Marshall, and wrote ‘Celebrity Sells’. See: tinyurl.com
Talent you might be interested in
Richard Kirshenbaum
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
NSG/SWAT
Tamara Ingram
Former Chairman
Wunderman Thompson
Bruno-Georges David
Président
Communication Sans Frontières
Joe Sciarrotta
USA CCO
Ogilvy & Mather, Chicago
Mark Lund
President McCann Worldgroup UK and Europe
McCann Worldgroup UK
Positions
Artist
Pringle & Pringle
April 2017 - Present (7 years 8 months)
ASA Council Member
London, United Kingdom
April 2011 - Present (13 years 8 months)
As a member of the ASA Council I am an adjudicator on complaints about advertising and marketing communications. As an ASA Director I sit on the Board of the company.
Strategic Advisor and Non-Executive Director
23 Red
July 2011 - May 2016 (4 years 10 months)
23 Red "Do.Feel.Think" their new expression of their marketing communications focus. Agency voted No. 1 Integrated Agency 2011 by Marketing Week / Pitch.
Partner
Pringle and Pringle LLP
2011 - March 2015 (4 years 2 months)
"Ideas to help build your business"
Chairman
Even Better Production Consultancy LLP
November 2011 - February 2012 (3 months)
Worked with Jane Gershfield to help her create Even Better Production Consultancy to bring fair value to the production auditing sector.
Consultant
Institute for Learning
November 2011 - January 2012 (2 months)
Based on my experience at the IPA I've been helping IfL: define the remit of, and recruit, an Interim Director of Communications; develop new membership products and services; establish CPD links to other organisations.
Director General
London, United Kingdom
August 2001 - July 2011 (9 years 11 months)
See www.ipa.co.uk
Director
Brand Beliefs
1999 - 2001 (2 years)
I was the founder of this marketing, branding, and advertising consultancy which had a specialism in cause related marketing and corporate social responsibility.
One of my clients was a dotcom which became Music3W. I was a founder investor and Marketing Director responsible for brand name and identity development. I commissioned the website design through Deepend, and co-ordinated the build team, which was underpinned by Hewlett Packard, a co-funder.
The website won an Art Directors of America Merit Award and the Gold Award for E-Commerce at the One Show Interactive Awards 2002. See www.music3w.com where vestiges of the site can still be seen.
Sadly we were blindsided by the Time Warner AOL deal which led to deadlock with all the artists' managements we were trying to do hosting deals with. Even Genesis, two of whose members were personal investors, didn't sign up... Meanwhile Boxman went bust and Napster completely undermined the CD sales component of the business plan. A very sad episode, but they say you learn from mistakes and it certainly gave me online experience early.
One of my clients was a dotcom which became Music3W. I was a founder investor and Marketing Director responsible for brand name and identity development. I commissioned the website design through Deepend, and co-ordinated the build team, which was underpinned by Hewlett Packard, a co-funder.
The website won an Art Directors of America Merit Award and the Gold Award for E-Commerce at the One Show Interactive Awards 2002. See www.music3w.com where vestiges of the site can still be seen.
Sadly we were blindsided by the Time Warner AOL deal which led to deadlock with all the artists' managements we were trying to do hosting deals with. Even Genesis, two of whose members were personal investors, didn't sign up... Meanwhile Boxman went bust and Napster completely undermined the CD sales component of the business plan. A very sad episode, but they say you learn from mistakes and it certainly gave me online experience early.
Vice Chairman and Director of Marketing
London, United Kingdom
1997 - 1999 (2 years)
Supervised the successful merger with K Advertising. Helped S&S rediscover "Nothing is impossible." Wrote 'Brand Spirit' with Marjorie Thompson founder of Saatchi & Saatchi Cause Connection.
Chairman & CEO
K Advertising
1996 - 1997 (1 year)
I ran this agency which was the relaunch of KHBB after CME had been sold by Cordiant plc.
I ran this agency following the departure of Bruce Haines back to Leagas Delaney.
I was a Director and New Business Director appointed by Bruce Haines, then the CEO. I started by running the savings and investment part of Nationwide Building Society, then led the pitch to win the mortgage business. I also led the pitch which won the Citizen watch account.
Managing Director
Madell Wilmot Pringle
1986 - 1989 (3 years)
I joined the agency and led the re-launch as Madell Wilmot Pringle. With Andrew Levy I led the creation of Comfort Pure Silk and with Jim Carroll attempted to reposition Three Barrels brandy with creative work involving a snowman on a beach...
Director
Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO
1982 - 1986 (4 years)
Looked after many clients, led successful pitches, and recruited some top people, on the way to the successful stock market IPO.
Worked on British Caledonian Airways, HEA Smoking Cessation, Yellow Pages, Exchange & Mart, Quavers, Monster Munch, Scampi Fries, Smiths (now Pepsico) Snacks NPD, Ladbrokes PLC, Chase Manhattan Bank, Alberto Culver, Silvikrin, Jovan, Beecham NPD, Schwarzkopf.
Director
McCormick Intermarco-Farner
1979 - 1982 (3 years)
I was in charge of new business and led the winning pitches for Renault Dealerships, North Thames Gas, Pirelli and The English Tourist Board. Launched Nutford, the sales promotion subsidiary. Introduced account planning via the hiring of John Ward.
Account Director
Boase Massimi Pollitt
1976 - 1979 (3 years)
Looked after Courage, Unigate Dairies, St. Ivel Real Juices, Cresta, Tic Tac, and Cussons Classic & npd.
Worked on: Courage Best, John Courage, John Smith's Yorkshire Bitter, Colt 45, Unigate Dairies, Farmers Wife, St.Ivel Real Juice, Mr. Juicy, Cussons Classic, Cussons Pearl NPD, TicTac, Mon Cheri, Cresta, and Marco & Carlo Frozen Foods. IPA Society (now 44 Club) Committee.
Account Manager
McCormick Richards
1975 - 1976 (1 year)
Managed Burton Menswear, L'Oréal Elnett and Twice as Lasting.
Account Executive
Ogilvy London
London, United Kingdom
1973 - 1975 (2 years)
Legal & General, ICI Corporate, Players No.10.
Account Executive
Ogilvy London
London, United Kingdom
1973 - 1974 (1 year)
Worked on Legal & General, ICI Corporate and Players No. 10.
Exhibition assistant
Demarco Gallery
July 1970 - August 1970 (1 month)
Worked for Richard Demarco as an assistant on Strategy: Get Arts exhibition held at the Edinburgh College of Art during the Edinburgh International Festival.
Amongst many other exhibits helped Joseph Beuys install The Pack, a Volkswagen van with trail of twenty-four sledges tumbling from its rear door. Each sledge carried a roll of felt, a lump of animal fat, and a torch - my job was rolling up the felt.
Amongst many other exhibits helped Joseph Beuys install The Pack, a Volkswagen van with trail of twenty-four sledges tumbling from its rear door. Each sledge carried a roll of felt, a lump of animal fat, and a torch - my job was rolling up the felt.
Education
PPE Field Of Study Middle Second
1970 - 1973 (3 years)
Activities and Societies: Chairman Trinity Arts Society OUDS
Posters and publicity for various theatrical productions including 'A Game at Chess' in Trinity College Garden, and 'Macbeth' at the Oxford Playhouse.
A Levels and Oxbridge entrance - English, Chemistry, Physics, and Biology
1965 - 1969 (4 years)
Activities and Societies: Captain of Coll. Head of House - Wardens, First XV & Scottish Schoolboys XV, Vice-Captain of Cricket, Captain of Shooting, Captain of Fives, Stage hand.
Art Prize
Common Entrance to Trinity College Glenalmond
1963 - 1965 (2 years)
Activities and Societies: Head Boy, Victor Ludorum
